


as an apology

by respoftw



Series: 35 Ways To Say I Love You In The Pegasus Galaxy [8]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Established Relationship, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2016-08-24
Packaged: 2018-08-10 20:03:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7859269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/respoftw/pseuds/respoftw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ways to say I Love You #8</p>
            </blockquote>





	as an apology

John managed to muster up a smile as Dorian toddled over to him. Not matter how angry he was he would always find a smile for his kid; even if it was the kid’s father that he was angry at.

“Hey, buddy,” he lifted Dorian up and blew a raspberry on his cheek. “How’s my favourite boy?”

Dorian giggled and wriggled in his arms and John felt his mood immediately lighten.

"How has he been?" he asked Teyla.

"He has been perfectly behaved," she smiled. "He does keep asking for Rodney though. I was unsure what to say."

John's smile felt tight across his face. "It's fine." Dorian started to whine and John realised that he was gripping him too firmly. He murmured an apology to Dorian before turning his attention back to Teyla. "It's fine," he said again. "He's out of the woods and we're going to see him now."

"Going to see Daddy?" Dorian wriggled excitedly.

"Yeah buddy," John said. "We can go and see your Daddy."

"Do not be too hard on him," Teyla said. "He did what he thought was best."

John knew that was true. It was just that he and Rodney had very different ideas about what was best. As far as he was concerned, nothing that left Rodney in a hospital bed and Dorian asking why his Daddy wasn't coming home could be for the best. God, he was angry at him. They couldn't do this anymore, not like they used to. The second that Dorian had peeked his head out from behind Dr. Parrish's leg, their priorities had changed.

Atlantis and her people were still his mission, their mission, but John had reconciled himself to the fact that he didn't always need to be the one riding that nuke into oblivion. Hell, he was military commander, he _shouldn't_ be the one riding that nuke into oblivion. It was a lesson that Rodney didn't seem to have learned yet.

John didn't say any of that. Instead, he just nodded at Teyla and told Dorian to wave goodbye.

* * *

Rodney at least had the good sense to look guilty when John and Dorian walked through the door. Not that it made John feel any less angry.

"Daddy!" Dorian ran towards Rodney's bed and scrambled up to get closer.

"Easy buddy," John cautioned. "Watch the - -"

"Wires. I 'member. Like last time. They help Daddy's ouchie."

John smiled without a hint of humour. _This_ is what he was angry about. This, these visits to the infirmary, were already becoming familiar to Dorian. No two year old kid should have to get used to this. "That's right," he said. "Good boy."

Rodney was awake and aware enough to hear the hidden edge of steel in John's voice and it didn't take a genius to recognise why John was so mad. Not when they'd had this argument after John had disappeared on a rescue mission for three days and again when Rodney had sent all his lab assistants to safety while he worked on shutting down a potential biohazard bomb a month ago.

Rodney looked like hell. His face was pale, the dark circles beneath his eyes standing out in stark contrast. He looked older than his years, older and scared - like maybe this time he realised just how close he came to losing this.

 _Good_.

John pulled a seat close and sat in it, watching as Rodney ran his left hand, the one not hooked up to an IV, through Dorian's hair. Dorian chattered away happily, catching Rodney up on every second of the past seventeen hours from what he had for breakfast to how yucky the lunch Auntie Teyla tried to cook for him was.

Rodney met John's eyes in the middle of a babbling rant about how much Dorian wished he had hair like Uncle Ronon's and whatever he saw there was enough to bring moisture to his eyes. John didn't look away, didn't hide his anger or his pain and Rodney nodded before pulling Dorian close and whispering in his ear.

Dorian nodded seriously at whatever Rodney was saying and John watched in confused amusement as he wiggled his way off of Rodney's lap and onto John's chair. Cupping his hands around John's ear he whispered, "Daddy said to tells you that he loves you very much and to give you this."

John squirmed as Dorian landed a sloppy loud smack of a kiss on his cheek and John smiled despite himself, despite his anger.

Beckoning Dorian closer, John whispered a message of his own in his ear.

"John saids that you're never allowed to do that ever again but he loves you too."

Rodney smiled and mimed a cross over his heart. "I promise."

 


End file.
